Everyone looked toward Su Chen and upon seeing his attire, they all displayed a contemptuous gaze, especially a young woman with heavy makeup who even showed a smirk of schadenfreude.
The "third couple" in the woman's mention appeared frustrated and helpless, glanced at Su Chen, and sighed softly.
"That's my aunt," Lin Ruoxue whispered to Su Chen, revealing the identity of the woman who had just spoken. Su Chen nodded.
After they married, Lin Ruoxue had roughly explained the Lin Family's situation to him. Old Master Lin had three sons and one daughter. The eldest was Lin Wenlong, the second was Lin Wenbin, the third was Lin Wenqing, and the youngest, the daughter, was Lin Wenting.
Lin Ruoxue was the daughter of Lin Wenqing, the third son, and the woman who had just spoken was Lin Wenlong's wife, Li Yan.
Su Chen thought to himself, "It seems the Lin family also has its intrigues!"
As for Li Yan's sarcasm, Su Chen didn't care at all, but his indifference bothered others, such as Old Master Lin and Lin Wenqing's couple, whose faces immediately darkened.
"Don't stoop to your sister-in-law's level."
Sitting next to Lin Wenqing, Lin Wenting quietly tugged at her brother's sleeve, prompting Lin Wenqing to nod in response.
"Are you my cousin-in-law, Su Chen?"
Just when the atmosphere was becoming somewhat awkward, a somewhat immature voice rang out. A girl, looking like a delicate porcelain doll and about eleven or twelve years old, walked up to Su Chen, took his arm, and asked.
Everyone couldn't help but be amazed. This little girl was Lin Wenting's daughter, Lin Ruohan, who for some special reasons, did not take her father's surname, but her mother's instead.
The Lin family knew that although Lin Ruohan was only around eleven or twelve, she was a real prodigy!
Not only was she exquisitely beautiful—a sure beauty—and her mind was always unfathomable. What shocked everyone was that she could almost immediately grasp even the most abstruse subjects taught at university.
She was considered a prodigy not only because of her appearance and unknowable high IQ. More crucially, it was her personality. Apart from her mother, she was extremely cold to everyone, even members of the Lin family.
Her bright eyes seemed able to see through everything. The Lin family's elders didn't dare meet her gaze, and they often sighed, wondering whether this little witch would be a blessing or a curse for the Lin family!
Su Chen had not expected this pretty and cute little girl to suddenly come over and greet him. He gently bent down, touched her little cheek, and smiled, saying:
"Yes, I am your cousin-in-law! What's your name?"
Su Chen liked the little girl very much, his lazy demeanor changing to show a rare warm smile.
Seeing Su Chen's action, Lin Wenting thought her daughter would certainly be upset because she knew how much her daughter hated others touching her body, especially her face.
However, what happened next completely surprised her. Her daughter looked at Su Chen and said,
"My name is Lin Ruohan, 11 years old. Can I call you 'Brother Su'?"
Thus, hearing Su Chen's words, she was the first to react impatiently.
Hearing Lin Ruomei's words, the others also began chiming in, denouncing Su Chen for his lack of manners. Lin Wenqing and his wife, along with Lin Wenting, showed embarrassed expressions, especially since their son-in-law and daughter were the ones indirectly calling them fools.
They, too, thought Su Chen had gone a bit too far. Lin Ruohan was just a child, and everyone could overlook her words, but after all, you are an adult.
Although it started with the sister-in-law's sarcasm and others' sneering faces, this place was still the Lin Family's house.
"Enough, let's not dwell on some careless words."
The old patriarch of the Lin Family waved his hand disapprovingly at the noisy scene, his gaze sweeping over Su Chen and his granddaughter, thoughtful.
Lin Wenqing and his wife, along with Lin Wenting, also apologized to everyone, and the matter was settled.
"Alright, it's about time. Everyone, please take your seats!" The old man of the Lin Family gestured grandly, and people began moving towards the tables.
Su Chen also helped Lin Ruohan to the table, walking by her side. Lin Ruoxue intended to grab her other little hand, but the girl didn't let her touch it at all.
In the end, Lin Ruohan sat between Lin Wenting and Su Chen, and Lin Ruoxue naturally took her place next to Su Chen.
Today was the fiftieth birthday of Lin Ruoxue's mother, Zhang Xinlan, so everyone was toasting to her, and she graciously reciprocated each one.
"Mom, both of us will also toast to you, wishing you forever youthfulness!"
Lin Ruoxue and Su Chen stood up together to toast her mother.
Zhang Xinlan glanced at Su Chen's disgruntled appearance, then at her elegant daughter, sighed softly, and managed a strained smile:
"If you both are happy, that's all that matters to me."
Zhang Xinlan well knew that this marriage was too harsh on her daughter, but she and her husband were somewhat timid, always reverent in front of the old patriarch.
So, when the old patriarch was adamant about them marrying, Lin Wenqing and his wife had no choice but to hope that the couple would grow to love each other and live a happy life.
"We are good."
Daughter and mother connected by heart, Lin Ruoxue instantly knew her mother's thoughts and quickly reassured her, even snuggling closer to Su Chen to appear more intimate.
"Good, good, that's good." Zhang Xinlan felt slightly better seeing this, turned her head to Su Chen seriously, and said, "Su Chen, Ruoxue is in your care now. Please take good care of her!"
"Sure, don't worry!"
What else could Su Chen say in response to a mother's simple request?
Just thinking about their indifferent relationship, Su Chen really didn't have much confidence.